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Another Intersputnik satellite
gets into orbit
Intersputnik's Express-6A satellite
was launched successfully on 12 March (Moscow Time). The
satelllite to be located at 80 degrees East, is positioned
as a bird that will significantly improve communications
capacity across Russia and was lifted off Kazakhstan's Baikonur
Cosmodrome aboard a Proton launch vehicle. Under an agreement
with the Russian Satellite Communications Company (RSCC),
Intersputnik will utilize the major part of Express-6A's
17 transponder strong C- and Ku-band relay capacity.
Express-6A will replace the aging Express-6 spacecraft currently
in orbit and allows Intersputnik's customers to use earth
stations without tracking systems, and providing a higher
quality of services.
"The successful launch of Express-6A is the next step in
modernizing Intersputnik's communications system," Gennady
Kudryavtsev, Intersputnik's Director General, said. "The
new Express-A series of spacecraft provides a longer service
life, more capacity and higher radiated power. Express-6A
will carry all of the television channels currently handled
via Express-6, and also will be used for new digital communications
and broadcasting channels including relay in Ku-band."
In addition to traditional services such as analog broadcasting
and public switched telephone networks, Express-6A also
will provide such services as digital television and radio
broadcasting, Internet access and dedicated corporate VSAT-based
Ku-band networks. Users of the Express-6A include such Russian
television channels as TV-6, TV-Centre, AST; large telecommunications
network operators (Rustel); dedicated networks operators
(Insat, Sirena), and telephone companies from Intersputnik's
member nations.
The second satellite in the new Express-A series is Express-3A,
which is to be launched in June and positioned at 11 degrees
West. This spacecraft will replace the aging Statsionar-11
(Gorizont-26) satellite. Express-3A will allow Intersputnik
to offer more satellite channels to telecommunications companies
interested in transAtlantic traffic.
Russia's Krasnoyarsk-based NPO
PM is prime contractor for the Express-A-series satellites.
The satellite bus is developed by NPO PM, while Alcatel
Espace of France supplies the payload.
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